Without You
by Alania57
Summary: A short story based on my theory of why Aang dies younger than some of us expected to. Fervent Kataang. Painful Kataangst. Very sad, but I hope you like it. It was meant to be a one-shot but it got away from me, so I'm splitting it into two chapters. R
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first Avatar fanfic, and it was supposed to be a one-shot, but I think it's going to be two chapters. Both are going to be extremely sad. Basically, I just wanted to write out my own personal guess on why Aang dies at the age that the new show (Korra) has set. Personally I think that he dies a little early, they try to explain it's because of the 100 years in the iceberg but I have another theory, and this is just me writing that theory out. Warning, it's super sad. Kataang. Kataangst. Also a song-fic, only because a song inspired the 2nd chapter, and the 1st chapter reminded me of a song. Enjoy, R&R, all that good stuff. _

_I don't own Avatar or any of these characters. Derp._

* * *

He sat cross-legged in their bed, with his wife curled up in his arms, and shed silent tears. Nevertheless, his laughter echoed the small chamber, muffled as the familiar sound hit the walls of ice surrounding them. As the sound died off, he wished something else would take it's place; for the silence it left behind allowed him to hear her slowing heartbeat. It was, perhaps, the only sound in the world he did not want to hear from her.

".. and then you looked at me as if I was crazy, and you said, 'uh, sure. I guess?'" He laughed again as he recalled the rest of the memory, looking down into the same eyes that he had looked up at for the first time that fateful day. They were so bright, so wide and full of life. Now, they looked up at him with an undying love, the love that had nurtured and grown over a lifetime.. but they held just a little bit less of the life he'd seen that day.

She laughed with him – a quiet, breathy laugh, nothing like the full and rich sound he was used to hearing. "I thought.. you were about to tell me something.. important." She admitted, rolling her eyes weakly. Her breathing hitched, and as he listened to it, his own breath stopped until hers returned to it's normal rhythm. "Katara, maybe if I.." He reached a hand out to the wall, drawing forth some of it. It pooled into an oval of water around his hand, but in a burst of strength she reached over and nudged his arm away.

"Stop it. You don't even know how to do that, and besides, there isn't anything wrong with me. You can't heal this."

"But whyyy," He whined, and a little of the childish whine his voice used to have when he was young and carefree edged into his deep voice. He reached for her with his water-covered hand once more, and she knocked his arm away a second time. Her wrinkled features scrunched up in annoyance, and she tried to sit up.

"Because, Aang. You can't heal old age." She chuckled breathlessly, and tried to catch her breath from the mere effort of her attempts to move. Defeated, she sunk back down into his arms, and closed her eyes.

A beat passed, and Aang's features darkened. "Katara?" He whispered in a tiny, fearful voice. She opened one eye and glared at him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you going to do that all night?" She murmured, agitation coloring her tone.

"Do what?" He blinked repeatedly, thrown into confusion by her sudden unhappiness.

"Check to see if I'm still here." She responded in a tone so calm, so understated, that it almost didn't break his heart to hear her ask such a thing.

Almost.

He had stopped crying, but her words brought the tears right back into his eyes, and she sighed sharply. "Aang." She called out to him, and he shook his head, shaking the tears away.

"I know, I know. You don't want to see me cry." He muffled into his arm, which he had raised to wipe against his face. When he lowered it, he looked down to see both her eyes open, shining up at him with blinding adoration. Her gaze captured him like nothing else could.

"I wasn't going to say that." She whispered.

"You weren't?"

She shook her head, and reached up to rest her soft, wrinkled hand against his cheek. "I was just going to ask you something. Something important."

He stilled, and then instinctively leaned into her touch. His eyes closed, but the moment was brief as soon as he realized he preferred the sight of her to the dark of his eyelids. They opened again and he smiled, nodding for her to continue.

"Come closer."

He giggled quietly, having been reminded not five minutes ago of how he'd said the same words to her when they were children. He echoed her response. "What is it?"

She pursed her lips to keep the smile from escaping, and whispered up to him. "Will you go penguin sledding?"

As first, her words brought that grin that she loved back to his face. His features split happily and he almost laughed, but the words were only just starting to sink in.

His smile warmed her heart, and she returned it in kind; but as she smiled, his own faded.

He waited, but only for a moment, before his heart clenched painfully. He thought, perhaps, perhaps she was just too tired to finish.

"With you?" He concluded hopefully, though she could see the fear of being wrong in his eyes. She hated that fear, and more than anything she wanted to nod her head and kiss his eyes and make it all better.

But she couldn't.

"No." Her eyebrows knitted as she watched his features fall. "I just want you to promise me you'll do it."

"Not without you, Katara." His eyes finally closed, and tears fell freely from them once more.

"Promise me, Aang." She urged, leaning in to rest her forehead against his, but he stubbornly shook his head and refused. Something told him they weren't talking about penguin sledding anymore.

"Not without you, Katara." He repeated, his voice surging powerfully in determination. His eyes opened to look directly into hers, so close that she could swear she saw just how determined he truly was, within them. This time, it was her turn to feel that painful clench of fear in her heart.

"Never without you."

* * *

_Without you, the breeze warms, the girl smiles, the cloud moves._  
_Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash._  
_The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you._  
_The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you_

_The tears dry, without you._  
_Life goes on, but I'm gone._  
_Cause I die, without you.._


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's Chapter 2. Now when I wrote chapter 1, I thought that it was gonna be a one shot. And then all this stuff came out that I didn't know was there. So I was like okay I'll do two chapters. Then I finish this one and I'm like ARGH I NEED THREE CHAPTERS. Oops! Well, like I said in the previous chapter, Warning, it's super sad. Kataang. Kataangst. Also a song-fic, only because a song inspired the 2nd and 3rd chapter, and the 1st chapter reminded me of a song. Enjoy, R&R, all that good stuff._

_I don't own Avatar or any of these characters. Or the song. Derp._

_

* * *

_

_No, I can't forget this evening_  
_Or your face as you were leaving_  
_But I guess that's just the way this story goes,_  
_You always smile..._  
_But in your eyes your sorrow shows…_  
_Yes, it shows._

She died in his arms that very night. There had been no sudden pinnacle, no harrowing moment of climax, no screams, no pain. They had whispered their hushed 'I love yous' to one another throughout the entire night, until she found she had no more breath with which to whisper; and still he gave her his own. He blew life gently into her until she touched his lips with her finger, then shook her head and gave him a ghost of a smile. But he saw it there, in her eyes; he saw how much she worried for him. He watched those eyes until the life ebbed out of them, and they finally closed.

His tears had spilled freely against her skin, even as it cooled. He had rocked her gently in his arms, whispering against her lips, even as the heat of her body flowed out of her. He had even screamed in unearthly anger when her brother came to try and take her away from him. His eyes and tattoos had blinded Sokka, sending him reeling back out of the hut with genuine fear in his heart.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. She was the strongest, most powerful woman he'd ever known. The greatest waterbender in the entire world. She had held the power to bring down armies of men with a flick of her wrist, if she so wished it. She even held the power to control from within, though she never used it. And she had the power to captivate the Avatar wholly and completely, with nothing more than a touch, a look, a breath.

How, then, was this possible? How could she have simply started to wane so soon in the twilight of her life, far too soon for his liking? Why was he holding an empty shell in his arms, instead of the vibrant and lively woman he'd known just a few days ago?

How, in all the fairness and justice and righteousness of this world, was this supposed to make any sense?

He had fought tooth and nail to bring balance back to this world. He had given his entire life to pursuing his fate. He'd sacrificed so much, and he did it without a second thought; because she was right there beside him for every step. Even when they had to be apart, she was never very far. He could hear and feel her heartbeat in the very air he breathed, even if it was on the other side of the world.

He lifted his head- the first real movement he'd made in hours- and listened.

He heard nothing.

He felt nothing.

Slowly, he released her body from his clutches, and settled her back down on the bed. Her head lolled to the side, and he rested his hand against her cheek to set it forward. She felt colder than the ice around them to the touch. It was that touch, alone, that finally cracked his barriers. This beautiful, cold vessel was no longer his Katara. She was far, far away now. No longer in his arms.

He brought the blanket up to cover her anyway, and fussed with her hair. He wanted to be sure she looked beautiful when her family and friends came to say goodbye.

He pursed his lips as a sudden wave of guilt washed over him. Sokka. He'd scared the old man so bad, it was a wonder he hadn't joined his sister in the afterlife. With one last touch of her lips, Aang got up and left his wife's mortal body behind.

* * *

As he pushed the animal skin that covered the exit away, he stopped in the doorway. His brother-in-law was sitting just a few feet from the door, curled in on himself. Sokka's arms were wrapped up tightly around his knees, and Aang's broken heart went out to him. He shuffled the few steps forward to be across from Sokka, and dropped down to his knees.

Sokka had aged much more gracefully than the rest of them, and he looked all the more rugged the older he got. When his big blue eyes shifted up to look at his friend, however, none of the strong and manly attitude was left in his expression. In his eyes, Aang saw a little boy suffering just as much as he was. His face was streaked with tears, and his eyes shone brightly with the reflection of the moonlight. Aang had to turn away quickly, for his heart stopped when he looked into the eyes that reminded him so much of what he'd just lost.

"Sokka, I'm-"

"Aang, I-"

The two old men had tried to start the conversation at the same time, and the awkwardness of it had them expelling a much needed chuckle. Aang looked back up at his old friend, his brother, and gave him a weak smile.

"I'm sorry."

Sokka shook his head, unsure of what Aang was apologizing for, so he pointed at his eyes and tattoos and wiggled his fingers suggestively. He even let out a soft 'oooh' to indicate he was trying to mimic the spiritual creepiness of the Avatar state.

A single eyebrow lifted slowly on Sokka's face, and he watched his old friend act just as much the fool as he had so many years ago. Aang barely noticed that Sokka was reaching out to him, and he definitely didn't expect the flick of his forehead from Sokka's fingertips.

"Ow.." Aang mumbled, and he rubbed his forehead, looking up at his brother-in-law sheepishly. He expected to see some kind of smile there, but his own fleeting moment of lighthearted feeling vanished as he saw the pain in Sokka's face. It was still there, still evident in his all-too-familiar eyes.

"Can I go see her?" Sokka whispered meekly, clearly asking permission. Aang wondered how they had gotten to this point, where Sokka had to ask him permission to see his own sister. He felt awful for putting his friend in this position.

Aang pushed himself back up and held his hand out, and Sokka took it. With a tug, Aang helped the warrior to his feet, and placed a hand on each of his shoulders. He stood there for a moment, letting a great surge of emotion well up inside him, and then pulled Sokka into a hug.

Sokka took a moment to assess what kind of answer this was, before finally returning the hug. His own arms wrapped around Aang as tight as a platypusbear, and lifted him up off his feet. It could have been an awkward display of emotion, but there was no room for awkwardness in their hearts tonight.

Sokka put Aang back on his feet, and started to pull away, but Aang held back for a moment longer. "You've been the best big brother a guy could have ever asked for." He whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with pain. This admittance finally brought a smile to Sokka's face for the first time today, and it felt as though the cracks in his heart were soothed by Aang's words. He heard the words unspoken, as Aang appreciated him for Katara's sake as well as himself, and he truly needed them.

"Thanks, buddy. You're the best little-brother-but-also-an-all-powerful-Avatar that a guy could ever ask for, too."

Aang grinned that face-splitting grin, and finally let Sokka go. He turned to walk away, and Sokka headed into the hut to see his sister for the last time.

But as he pushed open the flap, he paused. Aang's words were sincere, and had truly healed some of the pain in Sokka's heart – but a moment later, as he let them sink in, something started to nag him about how Aang spoke.

There was something.. heart-wrenchingly wrong about all of it, and Sokka couldn't put his finger on it. He turned around to ask, but Aang was already a blip on the sea of white. He was long gone, and Sokka was left with a dreadful feeling of worry.

His mind was not the quickest of the lot, but it finally sunk in; what was wrong with Aang's sweet and comforting admittance.

"_You've been the best big brother a guy could have ever asked for." _

He'd been speaking in the past tense. Was he truly speaking for Katara? Or..

Sokka shook his head and rubbed his temples, returning to his original purpose of heading inside. He was being ridiculous. Aang just wasn't thinking straight. Who could blame him, Sokka realized, as his eyes fell on the lifeless body of Katara. The tears welled up for the second time today, and all thoughts of Aang's cryptic words fell forgotten by the wayside.


	3. Chapter 3

_The entire reason I sat down to write this fanfic today was this chapter. And now that I'm finally at the point, I find it immensely hard to do so. And yet the first two chapters flowed out of me like it was nothing. It's kind of funny. Well, anyway, here's the final chapter of insight into my theory. Kataang. Kataangst. Also a dash of Korra. Also a song-fic, only because a song inspired the 2nd and 3rd chapter, and the 1st chapter reminded me of a song. Enjoy, R&R, all that good stuff._

_I don't own Avatar. I don't own the song. I don't own much. BUT I KNOW I LOVE YOU-*shot*_

* * *

_No I can't forget tomorrow__  
__When I think of all my sorrows__  
__When I had you there but then I let you go__  
__And now it's only fair that I should let you know__  
__What you should know__.._

_

* * *

_

The world was a blinding sea of white around him. He didn't know how long he'd been walking, but he could no longer see the village behind him, and he could see no settlements in any other direction. He figured this was as good as any place to stop. He spied a large hill of snow not ten feet away, and used his staff to help him climb it clumsily. Once he reached the top, he sat down and folded his hands and legs in a meditative position, and closed his eyes.

The world was now a sea of black, beneath his eyelids. He took a simple joy in the fact that he was not tortured with visions of the past. At least, not yet.

It was a cold, but clear winter dawn. The sun was just beginning to peek out from behind the white horizon, but he had his back to it. He hadn't come out here to watch another sunrise. No, the sunrise was the last thing he wanted to see right now.

The cold kissed his cheeks and made them rosy, but he didn't move. After a few minutes of meditation, he could feel himself slipping away. The tattoos that ran along his body began to glow very so slowly, signifying his departure.

* * *

He heard the soft crunching of padded feet against snow behind him, and his heart leapt into his throat. He dared not open his eyes for fear he'd snap back into the real world, so instead he just waited, and listened. When the one behind him finally spoke, his heart dropped like a stone in disappointment.

"Not who you're expecting, I fear."

Aang opened his eyes and turned around, giving Avatar Roku a sad smile. "No, not quite."

Roku climbed up the hill effortlessly, and sat down rather unceremoniously in front of Aang.

"You know, I'm obligated to tell you that this is cheating."

A soft blush rosied Aang's already red cheeks. "I know. But I had to try."

The spirit chuckled, and shrugged. "Well, I said it was cheating. I didn't say it wouldn't work."

Before Aang could ask what his previous incarnation meant, the most beautiful sound in the world rang clear behind him.

"Spirits help me Aang, if you think for one second that you're going to spend the rest of your life in the spirit world just because I'm here? Well then, you've got another think coming."

Aang scrambled to his feet so hastily that he slipped on the insubstantial snow, and tripped his way down the hill to fall at her feet. He was on his knees, looking up at a young goddess in blue. Her hands were on her hips, her head was tilted to one side, and even though she glared at him angrily, her eyes betrayed her unbound joy. She let her angry demeanor fall and dropped down to her knees, leaping upon him in one fell swoop. He fell back into the snow, curling his arms around her and letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Katara!" He expelled in that same breath, unable to stop himself from grinning like a little child.

Neither of them were in a rush to get up, and it was only Roku's obtrusive throat clearing that finally made them climb out of each others arms and stand. He felt like a boy again, young and reckless, holding his sweetheart's hand. As he glanced down at their joined fingers, he realized he didn't just feel like a boy, he looked like one, too. Being with Katara made him feel young every day of his life, and he supposed it made sense that his spirit would reflect that in the spirit world.

"It brings me great joy to see you happy, Avatar Aang." Roku murmured quietly, and they could both hear the 'but' implied in his statement. No sooner had they heard it, than it came. "But your young lady is correct. You may not stay here."

There was a sadness in Roku's voice that Aang could not understand. It was more than just feeling sorry for Aang, he realized as he watched Roku's eyes drift to Katara every so often. He turned to look at his wife, then back at Roku. "I know." Aang started to respond, though his voice was distant as he tried to figure out just what was going on. "But it makes me feel better to know I can visit her whenever I want."

Roku frowned, and his gaze centered firmly on Aang once more. "No, Aang. You must say your goodbyes now, and let her go in peace. She cannot stay here either."

Both Aang and Katara stared up at Roku with widening gazes, and a heavy moment of silence fell between them. It was only broken by Aang's sudden stuttering response.

"W-wh-what do you mean she can't stay here! Where's she going to go?" His voice hitched up in desperation, and his fingers tightening possessively as they wrapped around her waist. She didn't seem to mind; in fact, she felt safer with his hold so tight. Roku's words made her think she was going to fade away any minute.

"Aang," Roku began, but Aang shook his head and interrupted, still ready to disprove him on words alone. "She's a spirit! This is the spirit world! This is where spirits belong!" He was trying to make it be the truth, simply by saying it with enough determination that it would have to be. Unfortunately, the situation was becoming clearer for Katara, and her eyes dropped to the floor as her thoughts brought her to a slow realization.

"Aang!" Roku's voice was sharp and commanding, silencing the boy with it's power. "Think, for a moment. You have done what no other person could. You have brought back balance to a world that was torn apart by war and hatred. You did all of this, and more. Do you think you could have done it without her, though?" Roku's hand snaked out of his robes as he gestured towards Katara, who lifted her eyes up in response. She then shifted her glance to Aang, understanding sweeping through her gaze. Aang's heartbeat skipped, and then sped to a mile a minute.

"No." He answered truthfully, and she smiled a careful smile. Their hands tightened, squeezing in affection.

"For the Avatar to bring balance, he must have it as well. For you, Katara was your balance. For me, it was my own wife. There have been hundreds of Avatars before you, Aang; and each one found their balance in this world, before they were able to fulfill their role." Roku had begun his descent off the hill as he spoke, and stopped just in front of Katara. He smiled at her, a small, private smile. When Katara shied away and leaned against Aang, his smile turned amused.

"Balance must be restored." He whispered, before shifting his eyes to Aang. "For when your time comes to leave the world, the new Avatar must find it."

Aang and Katara shared a long, lingering look. Where once all he saw was the love and devotion that Katara had for him, now he saw something much deeper, much older. He saw the love and devotion that one ancient being had for another. He saw his balance, deep inside her. But more importantly, he saw every previous Avatars balance, living deep within those endless sapphire pools.

"She's your wife, too." Aang breathed out, and Katara twitched uncomfortably while trying not to look at Roku. The older man laughed and moved back a few steps to give them room, but nodded. "Among other things, yes. I suppose. But more importantly, she will be the guiding force behind the new Avatar. She must be. Do you understand?"

He was saying that Katara had to be reincarnated. Aang understood. He understood, but he couldn't come to terms with it. He felt so unnaturally selfish for wanting to keep Katara all for himself, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't imagine a world without her. He couldn't imagine a single day, a single moment without her. And yet, even as he struggled to breathe, he nodded.

"I understand."

"Then I will leave you to say your goodbyes." Roku whispered, and turned to walk away. He paused, and gave one last fleeting look at Katara. "But it isn't forever. The ties that bind us last throughout lifetimes." He smiled at them both, and as he turned to walk away, his form shuddered and disappeared.

"I know what he's trying to say is true.." Katara broke the spell that Roku's disappearance had left on the two by speaking, and she scrunched her features up lightly. "But.. that felt weird."

Aang slowly grinned at her, and leaned in to kiss her nose. "What? He's me!" He reasoned, but Katara rolled her eyes unconvincingly. She rested her head against his shoulder, and they spent an agonizingly long moment just remembering what it was like to be together.

All too soon, however, it had to end. "I feel like I just said goodbye to you, and now I'm being forced to say it again." Aang whispered into her hair, his voice cracking with emotion.

"It's not goodbye. Not really. You'll come find me again, next time around." Katara attempted to be lighthearted about the situation, but her failing voice betrayed her.

His arms tightened around her body, and he took in a shuddering breath. "I love you, Katara."

Her lips parted in a smile. "I know. I've always known. And I love you, Aang. I'll love you for the rest of my.." She paused, finding irony in what she was about to say, then brightening as she corrected herself- ".. all the rest of my lives."

He bent his head down to kiss her, a gentle smile gracing his features as well. Her lips felt like joy, and he closed his eyes to etch it in his memory. When she pulled away, he whimpered, and his lips turned down into a pout before they parted to complain. But as they did, so too did his eyes open, and his words died in his throat.

She was gone.

* * *

_I can't live__  
__If living is without you.__  
__I can't live,__  
__I can't give anymore._

_

* * *

_

The tattoos along his body began to dim as he returned to the real world, but even when they were back to their normal blue, he did not open his eyes. He could feel the stinging cold of the snow that had drifted all around him, biting his bare skin and numbing his body dangerously. He knew he was back in his body, but still, he did not open his eyes.

Bitter tears leaked out and plopped down hotly against his cheeks, before they travelled down and melted the snow they fell upon. He simply sat there, unmoving, face tensed in agony, and cried.

He felt the sun shine shine directly down on him from above, trying so desperately to warm him, to bring him back from his despair, but it did little. He did finally manage to open his eyes, and brush his frozen tears away with one arm. When he blinked and looked in front of him, it took a moment to realize he was not alone. His heart leapt into his chest as two black, beady eyes stared at him from inches away, and he let out a garbled cry as he stumbled back a bit. His hands, which had snagged his staff and flung forward in a pathetic fighting stance, now reached up to rub his eyes and look again.

There, standing silently in front of him, beak to nose, was a penguin.

His mouth dropped open, and the penguin snapped it's beak at him slightly, still staring him down. Aang wanted to laugh, but he realized he couldn't manage it. His laughter was lost to him, perhaps for good. So he simply stared, and eventually the penguin got tired of the game and turned around.

Aang fully expected the penguin to waddle away, but instead it flopped down on it's stomach in front of him. If he had been so inclined, it would have been simple to just climb on top of it's back and..

A sharp intake of breath sucked through Aang's teeth, and he felt his heart shatter for the third time today. He didn't know how she'd done it, but he knew it was her. He heard her words in the wind, trying to get him to promise her that he'd still go penguin sledding. Trying to get him to promise her that he would live. He settled himself back into his meditative position, with his staff settled in his hands in front of him, and sighed.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to the penguin, who tilted it's head back up and looked at him curiously. "Maybe next time around."

His eyes closed once more, as he focused on exactly what it was he was going to do. He thought about the state of the world, and how hard he had fought to finally bring peace to the four nations. It was the only reason he'd finally settled down in the Southern Water Tribe with Katara; the rebellions had finally stopped, the hatred had finally diminished, and the lines that divided the nations had finally begun to dissolve. For now, the world was at peace.

He truly felt as though he'd done what he'd set out to do, and now.. perhaps he could finally rest.

Of course, deep down he knew he could never truly rest. No, a new generations problems would surface, and a new Avatar would surface with them, to take the burden of the world upon their shoulders.

But, perhaps not for the Avatar, but most assuredly for Aang, it was time to rest.

Aang sat in the snow, his eyes closed, his face finally serene for the first time in days. The penguin finally turned around and stood in the snow, watching him in silence. It made no move to disturb him, and he made no move to react to it's presence.

Hours passed. Finally, the soft thud of wood as it fell into the snow startled the penguin, and it began a slow waddle away.

* * *

Far in the distance, a rumbling cry shook the earth, echoing far above its normal reach. Something, somewhere, was suffering. The sound grew louder as he searched the skies, and when he finally found Aang, Appa landed and curled his massive body around his departed friend, letting out sorrowful moans. Then, with the quickly dropping sunset, Appa's last moans eventually drifted away too.

The wind picked up the snow into little white tornados that blew against them. The snow melted against Aang's skin, leaving dewdrops of water kissed by the wind.

* * *

_Without you, the breeze warms, the girl smiles, the cloud moves._  
_Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash._  
_The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you._  
_The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you._

* * *

Sokka had heard Appa's cries- who didn't?- and his heart had sunk deeper in despair. When he couldn't hear them anymore, a different sound caught his attention. He carried his sisters body out of the hut to be taken care of, and paused when he heard it again. It was the sound of an infant crying in a hut not to far away. Just outside of the hut, a man was chewing his own glove in anxiety, and he briefly looked up. Sokka locked eyes with the man, and he couldn't help but smile; he remembered the birth of his firstborn, and what a wreck he had been then. The man's expression dropped when he saw Master Katara in Sokka's arms, and his excitement over his newborn daughter waned for the moment. He bowed respectfully in mourning, and Sokka nodded his head in response. He continued walking then, holding his sister closer to whisper into her ear as if she could hear him.

"You see, baby sister? Life's still chugging along. And who knows? I mean, scientifically speaking, there's no way to prove it, but.." He chanced one last glance over at the hut, where the man had just made his way inside, and his lips turned up in a smirk. "Maybe I'll see you again soon. Heck, that could be you right now!"

But it wasn't.

* * *

Even as he felt the joy of holding his precious daughter in his hands, the man looked troubled. His wife could tell, and asked.

"Master Katara has passed on," He told her, and she placed her hand gently on her lips in sadness. His eyes lit up for a moment, and they returned to his baby girl. "I know you wanted to name her after your mother, but I wonder.."

His wife gave him a curious glance, and took in what his unspoken words said. She looked hesitant, but understanding. "Perhaps a compromise?" She offered, and he smiled down at her in adoration. "I did so love the name Morra."

He nodded, and a moment of silence passed before he came up with an acceptable solution. "Korra." He whispered, and a pair of blue eyes blinked up at him. "She likes it! What do you think?"

She fell back upon her pillows and closed her eyes to rest, smiling contentedly. "It's perfect. Just like her."


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for reading my fanfic! This isn't a chapter, but a recommendation. About an hour after finishing my fanfic, I accidentally stumbled upon an AMV that pretty much stole my heart. And I feel that, after reading this fanfic, you'll enjoy this AMV even more as well, because while watching it all I could think of was that the video was like watching the last thoughts that went through Aang's head. His life passing through his eyes. And it was beautiful. So! Enjoy! And as a reminder I did NOT make this video, but I truly feel you'll enjoy it after reading my fic. :) Since this site doesn't like when you put links in the story, just add youtube to the beginning of the following link: .com/watch?v=99YxTxLo1PI


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